For years, Joy Milne carried a secret ability that neither she nor anyone around her fully understood. It wasn’t telepathy or psychic foresight—it was something far more tangible, yet just as mysterious: she could smell Parkinson’s disease. What began as a subtle shift in her husband’s scent decades before his diagnosis eventually led to a groundbreaking medical discovery. And then came the twist: it wasn’t just Parkinson’s. Scientists would later find that Joy Milne could also smell cancer.

A Scent No One Else Noticed

In the early 1980s, Milne, a retired nurse with a keen sense of smell, noticed a musky odor on her husband, Les, long before any medical symptoms appeared. It wasn’t the result of hygiene or a change in diet. It was persistent—and odd. Years later, Les was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. By then, Milne had noticed the same scent on other patients in support groups. She knew she had stumbled onto something unusual.

What seemed like a bizarre anecdote turned into a subject of rigorous scientific inquiry when Milne was introduced to researchers at the University of Edinburgh. Curious but skeptical, they tested her ability in controlled experiments. The results were astonishing: she could correctly identify people with Parkinson’s disease simply by smelling T-shirts they had worn. She was right 11 out of 12 times. What happened to the 12th person, you may ask? Well, he developed Parkinson’s 8 months later.

But her talents didn't stop there.

The Cancer Connection

As news of Milne’s abilities spread, researchers began to wonder: what else could she smell?

At the University of Manchester, a new study was launched—this time, to test whether volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the chemicals emitted by cells, might give off a detectable scent in certain types of cancer. Milne was brought in to sniff samples of skin swabs, breath, and even urine. Again, she delivered stunning results.

In one case, she identified a participant as having cancer even though the individual had been cleared by standard tests. Months later, the cancer surfaced on imaging scans. Milne’s nose had caught what modern diagnostics had missed.

The Science Behind the Scent

Scientists believe that diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s alter the body’s chemistry, causing cells to emit unique VOCs. While undetectable to most humans, these compounds have distinct odor profiles. Milne’s sense of smell—believed to be genetically heightened and honed by years as a nurse—was picking up the chemical trail.

Researchers began developing machines—“electronic noses”—inspired by her abilities. These devices aim to replicate what Milne can do naturally: detect disease through smell. If perfected, this could revolutionize diagnostics, offering early, non-invasive screening for diseases that often go unnoticed until it’s too late.

A Humble Hero

Despite the media attention and global recognition, Milne remains modest about her abilities, refusing to seek fame. Yet scientists now credit her with helping open an entirely new field of medical diagnostics—one that could lead to faster, cheaper, and earlier detection of deadly diseases.

The Future of Diagnostic Smell

Today, teams across the UK and beyond are racing to decode the "olfactory fingerprints" of various diseases. Trials are underway to train dogs, build AI-powered scent analyzers, and refine diagnostic protocols using breath and skin swabs. If successful, your next cancer test could be as simple as breathing into a tube.

A Hidden Sense Among Us?

Since Joy Milne’s story gained global attention, comment sections and online forums have lit up with people claiming similar abilities—some say they can smell Parkinson’s, others describe detecting pregnancy, diabetes, or even emotional states like fear or anxiety through subtle changes in body odor. It turns out this might not be mere imagination. Scientists have already isolated specific compounds responsible for the distinct scent of Parkinson’s, and even identified the molecules behind the so-called “old person smell”—a chemical called 2-nonenal. These discoveries suggest that the human nose, though often overlooked, may be far more perceptive than we give it credit for. So what about you? Is there something extraordinary you believe you can smell? Share your story in the comments—we might just be scratching the surface of a forgotten human sense.

Image credit: The Guardian